Nineteen communities recently received awards for excellence in downtown revitalization at the North Carolina Main Street and Small Town Main Street Awards Ceremony, held March 11 in New Bern. North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland and Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development Kenny Flowers honored recipients in categories that include economic vitality, design, promotion and organization.
“We congratulate this outstanding communities for their award-winning projects this year,” said Secretary Copeland. “These projects generated public and private investment, spurred job creation, leveraged business growth, and residential development to create vibrant downtowns.”
“The projects being recognized represent the year’s best building rehabilitation projects, innovative downtown revitalization initiatives, extraordinary historic preservation projects, authentic events, and effective promotional activities,” said Assistant Secretary Flowers. “The communities being recognized formed public-private partnerships to make significant downtown changes and improvements that resulted in positive change for downtown.”
The North Carolina Main Street and Rural Planning Center helps small towns create vibrant central business districts by using local resources to preserve their historic fabric and build upon their unique characteristics. A panel of judges chose this year’s award winners from more than fifty nominations submitted by Main Street communities across the state.
2019 SMALL TOWN MAIN STREET AWARD
Economic Vitality
- Hayesville – Clay County Historic Courthouse Adaptive Reuse
2019 MAIN STREET AWARDS
Organization
Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown Revitalization
- Concord – The View at Hotel Concord
- Laurinburg– ‘Tis The Season
Best Innovation
- Belmont – Belmont GOBO Promotions
- Elkin – Explore Elkin
- Fuquay-Varina – Revelry Barber & Shave Shop
- Garner – Gearworks Bridge Space
- Goldsboro – Elite to Lil Elite Boutique
Best Public Relations Effort
- Edenton – Downtown Edenton “Follow the Dollar” Commercial
Promotion
Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series
- Forest City – The Cherry Bounce Festival
- Lenoir – NC Gravity Games
- Marion – The WNC Bigfoot Festival
Best Retail Promotion
- Fuquay-Varina – Play the ‘Quay Miniature Golf Tournament
Economic Vitality
Best Adaptive Reuse Project
- Burlington –Impact Alamance Cammack Building Renovation
- Oxford – Oxford’s First – Tobacco Wood Brewing Company
- Salisbury – Historic O.O. Rufty Building Fire Restoration & Adaptive Reuse Project
- Sanford – La Dolce Vita Pizzeria
Best Endangered Properties Rescue Effort
- Lenoir – The Little Building with the BIG Impact – Dayvault’s Drug Store
Design
Best Historic Rehabilitation Project
- Mount Airy – The Spencer’s Loft Condominiums
- Tryon – The Tryon Theatre Renovation
Best Façade Rehabilitation Project for $15,000 or Less
- Roxboro – 111 N. Main Street Rehabilitation Project
In a separate ceremony held in New Bern March 12, the 2019 North Carolina Main Street Champions were named. Main Street Champions are individuals that work and advocate for revitalized downtowns.
“Vibrant downtown districts are important drivers of North Carolina’s economic prosperity,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “These honorees have shown great dedication to improving their communities and we’re proud to honor their diligence as Main Street Champions.”
“N.C. Commerce and the N.C. Main Street program began recognizing Main Street Champions in 2000. We knew that the success of downtown economic development was due to the hardworking people behind the effort, and we wanted to take time annually to recognize those individuals that are making a difference in their communities. Today, Main Street communities have a group of Main Street Champions that serve as a downtown thinktank and plan for future projects and initiatives,” said N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center director Liz Parham.
Forty-five Champions will receive honors for contributions to their Main Street programs and downtown districts in 2019. With this year’s group, 766 Champions have been recognized by the North Carolina Department of Commerce over the past 20 years.
The 2019 North Carolina Main Street Champions are:
- Peter Asciutto – Albemarle
- Angela Street – Belmont
- Ann Dergara – Brevard
- Kathy Hykes and the late Bob Hykes – Burlington
- Bob Barker – Cherryville
- Sampson County Extension Master Gardeners – Clinton
- Cabarrus Arts Council – Concord
- David and Rhonda Price – Eden
- Candace Thompson – Edenton
- James Flanigan and Kevin O’Leary – Elizabeth City
- John Cheek – Elkin
- Peter Ustach – Elon
- Melissa Cantrell – Forest City
- Mollie Stephenson – Fuquay-Varina
- Jason Waters – Garner
- Julie Metz – Goldsboro
- Jack and Beverly Maniscalco – Hendersonville
- Julie Owens – Hickory
- Frank Stewart – Kings Mountain
- Cory Hughes – Laurinburg
- City of Lenoir Public Works - Sanitation Division – Lenoir
- Robin Bivens – Lexington
- Tracy Cotton – Marion
- Kim Saragoni – Mooresville
- Jenn Williams – Morehead City
- Angela Shores – Morganton
- Bill Faulkenberry and David Griffith – New Bern
- Angela and Neal Powell – Newton
- North Wilkesboro Police Department -North Wilkesboro
- Lori Dutra – Oxford
- Ron Wheeler – Reidsville
- Adam Wolfe – Roxboro
- Warren Ormiston – Rutherfordton
- Pam Hylton Coffield – Salisbury
- Elizabeth Whitmore – Sanford
- David White – Shelby
- Jud Patterson and Suzanne Taylor – Smithfield
- David and Stephanie Whitson - Spruce Pine
- Steve Hill – Statesville
- Winston Dozier – Troy
- Wanda May – Tryon
- Douglas Pearce – Wake Forest
- Karen Johnson – Waxhaw
- Alex McKay – Waynesville
- Wilson City Council – Wilson